"Thank God, thank God, we are saved!" she cried.
And now that the danger was over, Kate sank down upon the floor of the "observatory," and sobbed as if her heart would break.
Becky—her bravery returning as the sound of horses' hoofs struck upon her ear—slipped from the room, leaving Mrs. Grieves and Cicely to play the part of consolers to her young mistress.
It appeared that a trumped-up story, purporting to come from one of his friends in the township, had caused Phil Wentworth to go there that morning, and that on his way he overtook Sam Griffiths, who grumpily asked him why he should have been ordered to the township when his hands were so full of work at home. This led the young manager to scent something wrong, and telling Griffiths to follow him home quickly he rode straight back to the shed, and getting some of the shearers to accompany him, made straight tracks for the house.
Mrs. Grieves and Cicely had by this time had as much as they cared for of bush life, and very shortly after announced that the Australian climate did not suit either Cicely or herself as she had hoped it might, and that they had made up their minds to return to England.
"I hope they intend to take their silver away with them," said the manager when Kate told him.
She replied with a laugh, "Oh yes, I don't believe aunt would think life worth living if she had not her silver with her."
Poor Aunt Grieves! the vessel she travelled by had to be abandoned before it reached England, and the silver she had suffered so much for lies buried in the sands of the deep.
As for Kate, she subsequently took Philip Wentworth into partnership, and he gave her his name.